Savory Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup Secret Stuffed Mushrooms Herb Roasted Turkey Simple Pan Gravy Thanksgiving Recipes Roasted Garlic and Chive Mashed Cauliflower Potatoes Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Casserole Bake Healthy Green Bean Casserole Cornbread Stuffing Baked Apples and Pears with Cinnamon and Nutmeg No Bake Pumpkin Nut Butter Fudge by Health Coach Sara Nicole Ansari, R.D.
Savory Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup Secret Stuffed Mushrooms 4 cups or 1 lb carrots, peeled and chopped 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (may use fresh or frozen) 1 small yellow onion, diced 1 cup organic celery, chopped 4 cups (1 qt.) organic low sodium vegetable broth or low sodium chicken broth 2 cups water ½ cup low fat milk (optional) or ¼ cup 0% plain yogurt (optional) 1 tbsp grass fed butter or ghee sea salt and pepper to taste fresh herbs: thyme and bay leaf (maybe substitute with fresh sage if desired) In a large pot, sauté onions and celery in olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, butternut squash, and broth. Season with salt & pepper. Add a bay leaf and a thyme sprig. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium heat, cover and let simmer for about 40 minutes, until carrots and squash are soft and tender. Working in small batches and using a food processor or blender, puree soup until smooth. Transfer back to the large pot. Stir in milk or yogurt if desired for creaminess. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves. 2 (8 oz.) packages white button mushrooms ¼ cup balsamic vinegar ¼ cup Parmesan cheese ¼ cup of whole wheat panko breadcrumbs ⅓ cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, stems removed, washed, and chopped 8 garlic cloves, minced ⅛ tsp dried red pepper flakes 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Two 1-ounce part-skim mozzarella cheese deli slices, cut into thin 1-inch squares Carefully break off stems and clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Discard stems. Combine mushroom caps and balsamic vinegar in a large plastic bag. Marinate 2 to 8 hours. In a medium mixing bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, olive oil, and red pepper flakes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Stuff each mushroom cap with about ½ tbsp of the breadcrumb mixture. Top each mushrooms with part-skim mozzarella cheese. Bake on a lined baking sheet for 12 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown. Mushrooms may be prepared and stuffed ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to bake and serve hot.
Herb Roasted Turkey Simple Pan Gravy 1 10-12 pound turkey ¼ cup fresh herbs, plus 20 whole sprigs, such as thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano and/or marjoram, divided 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tsp salt 1 tbsp freshly ground pepper aromatics: onion, apple, lemon and/or orange, cut into 2-inch pieces (1 ½ cups) 3 cups water, plus more as needed Position a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 475 F. Remove giblets and neck from turkey cavities and reserve for making gravy. Place the turkey, breast-side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan; pat dry with paper towels. Mix minced herbs, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the herb mixture all over the turkey, under the skin and onto the breast meat. Place aromatics and 10 of the herb sprigs in the cavity. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Add 3 cups water and the remaining 10 herb sprigs to the pan. Roast the turkey until the skin is golden brown, 45 minutes. Remove the turkey from the oven. If using a remote digital thermometer, insert it into the deepest part of the thigh, close to the joint. Cover the breast with a double layer of foil, cutting as necessary to conform to the breast. Reduce oven temperature to 350 and continue roasting for 11/4 to 13/4 hours more. If the pan dries out, tilt the turkey to let juices run out of the cavity into the pan and add 1 cup water. The turkey is done when the thermometer (or an instantread thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone) registers 165 F. Transfer the turkey to a serving platter and cover with foil. Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes. Remove string and carve. giblets and neck from turkey 6 cups water 2-3 cups organic low sodium chicken broth, divided ¼ cup all-purpose flour ¾ cup deglazing liquid, such as white wine, vermouth or brandy salt and freshly ground pepper To make giblet stock: Place giblets (except liver), neck and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, skimming and discarding any foam, for 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. To make gravy: After removing the turkey from the roasting pan, pour any pan juices and fat into a large glass measuring cup and place in the freezer so the fat rises to the top, about 10 minutes. Skim the fat off with a spoon and discard. Add the reserved giblet stock plus enough chicken broth so the combined liquids measure 5 cups total. Whisk 1/2 cup chicken broth and flour in a small bowl until smooth. Set the roasting pan over two burners on medium-high heat. Add deglazing liquid to the roasting pan. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the pan, and reduce for 3 minutes. Add the 5 cups of liquid from Step 2. Return to a boil, whisking often, and continue to cook until reduced to 3 cups, about 8 to 12 minutes. Whisk the reserved broth-and-flour mixture into the roasting pan. Boil, whisking constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the gravy through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup. Taste and season with salt (if needed) and pepper.
Roasted Garlic and Chive Mashed Cauliflower Potatoes Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Casserole Bake 2 large heads of cauliflower, stalks removed and chopped (about 12 cups) 1 garlic bulb, roasted 1 tbsp 0% plain Greek yogurt 1 tbsp lemon juice sea salt and pepper to taste chopped fresh or freeze-dried chives, for garnish To roast the garlic: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the individual cloves intact. Using a knife, cut the ½ inch off the top of the cloves, exposing the individual garlic cloves. Drizzle the top of the exposed garlic cloves with olive oil. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes until the cloves are soft. Wash and cut cauliflower into small florets. Place cauliflower in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam until tender, about 10-15 minutes. (Alternatively, may boil in water for about 6 minutes until tender). Drain well and pat cooked cauliflower between several layers of paper towels until very dry, otherwise dish will taste watered down. In a large bowl, puree the hot cauliflower and garlic with a food processor or mash by hand. Add the garlic by simply squeezing the roasted garlic out from their skin. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and mix well until smooth. Stir in chopped chives (and splash of milk or broth if a more liquid consistency is desired). 1 medium spaghetti squash 1 tbsp olive oil 1 cup onion, thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups mushrooms, sliced 1 cup red bell pepper, sliced 8 oz part skim ricotta cheese 1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella 1 tsp dried basil ½ tsp dried oregano ½ tsp dried thyme sea salt and pepper to taste Cut the spaghetti squash in half using a large chef s knife and scoop out the seeds. Place squash, cut side down, in a baking dish. Add ½ inch water and cover tightly the with foil. Bake at 375F degrees for 60 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. While the squash is baking, sauté the following in olive oil: onions, garlic, mushrooms, and red bell peppers. Season with basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Scrape the soft, yellow strands out with fork. Recommend holding the squash with an oven mitt, since it will be very hot. In a large bowl, combine the squash, sautéed vegetables, and ricotta cheese. Toss gently until mixed. Spray a baking or casserole dish with cooking spray. Transfer the spaghetti squash, vegetable, and ricotta mixture to the dish. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until cheese melts.
Healthy Green Bean Casserole Cornbread Stuffing Beans 2 lbs. green beans: washed, ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 6 cups) 2 quarts water pinch of salt Sauce 1 cup white or crimini mushrooms, sliced 1 small yellow or white onion, thinly sliced 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp all-purpose flour 2 cups milk 1 dash hot sauce 1 dash worshestshire sauce black pepper to taste Topping 1 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs To cook the beans: Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add the beans and cook for 6 minutes until render-crisp and bright green. Drain in colander. Briefly shock in cold water to stop the cooking process. Dry completely. To make the sauce: Saute onions in olive oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until soft and golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add flour, salt and pepper, stirring constantly for 1 minute to cook the flour. Add milk, continue to stir and cook until the sauce bubbles and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes. To assemble: Combine the beans and sauce, toss gently. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and pour the green bean mixture to the casserole dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes. Homemade Cornbread (may substitute with box cornbread mix) 1 cup corn meal ½ tsp salt 1 cup flour 2 eggs 1 tbsp baking powder 1 cup low fat milk Veggies 1 tbsp vegetable oil 2 cups onions, chopped 2 cups celery, chopped salt and pepper to taste 1 tbsp poultry seasoning (optional) ¼ cup herbs: thyme and sage, chopped 3 cups organic low sodium chicken or vegetable broth freshly ground black pepper to taste To make the cornbread: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg and milk. Add the dry ingredients to the egg and milk and stir just until moistened, being careful not to over-stir. Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a rack. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery and cook, season with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and add the cubed corn bread, thyme, and sage, toss to mix. Slowly add broth, tossing until the corn bread is well moistened. Add more broth if necessary so the stuffing is not dry. Taste and season with plenty of black pepper. Return the cornbread-veggie mixture to a coated baking dish and bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Baked Apples and Pears with Cinnamon and Nutmeg No Bake Pumpkin Nut Butter Fudge 4 ripe pears, with stems, washed and dried (preferably Bosc) 4 organic apples (preferably Rome Beauty or McIntosh) 4 cups Riesling or other fruity white wine (may substitute apple juice) ¼ cup honey 8 cinnamon sticks ½ tsp nutmeg 8 bay leaves 8 strips orange zest Preheat oven to 400 F. Core apples three-quarters of the way down. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each pear, so they will stand upright. Arrange apples and pears in a baking dish. Whisk wine and honey in a medium bowl until well blended; pour over the fruit. Add cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, bay leaves and orange zest to the wine mixture around the fruit. Roast, basting every 15 minutes, until they are wrinkled and tender, for about 1 hour. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fruit to shallow dessert bowls. Pour the wine mixture into a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Boil until slightly thickened, about 6 minutes. Drizzle over the apples and pears and garnish with the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and orange zest. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled. ½ cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned) 1 cup natural peanut butter or raw unsalted almond butter 2 Tbsp coconut oil (softened but not melted) 2 Tbsp maple syrup (or honey) ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground pumpkin pie spice Dash of ground nutmeg ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (may omit if using salted peanut butter) ½ ounce 72% cacao dark chocolate, melted 1. Line a small baking dish (6 x 6 pan) with two pieces of parchment paper so the paper goes up both sides. 2. Mix all of the ingredients (except the chocolate) together in a large mixing bowl until completely smooth and creamy. Pour mixture into the lined dish and smooth out with a spatula. Place in the freezer until solid, for at least 1-2 hours. 3. Just before you are ready to pull the fudge out, melt dark chocolate over a double boiler or in a microwave. Stir until smooth. 4. Lift the fudge out of the pan by grabbing the sides of the parchment paper and cut it into 1-inch squares. Place the squares in a single layer onto a parchment paper lined tray or pan. 5. Using a spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate over top of all of the fudge. Return back to the freezer in a sealed container. This must be kept in the freezer until ready to eat. Makes approximately at least 25 1-inch squares. Recipe is vegan and gluten-free.